Indisputably the festival of Todos Santos that captures the imagination of the most locals and tourists alike in Todos Santos has taken place each year since 1997 at the end of January or early February. It is then Todos Santos hosts its art festival. This year, in 2010, the festival starts Saturday January 30 and ends on the following Saturday, February 6th, 2010.

Workshops and education such as teaching latin music and folk dancing is offered along side displays by regional artists and performances, recitals and readings by musicians, writers and filmmakers in several venues all a short stroll from the central plaza.

While the crowd continues to grow each year and is not representative of the small artist escape, it’s a great time to get to know Todos Santos. While not the primary draw, there’s also a chance to purchase furniture, weavings, pottery, delicacies of the gastronomical delicacies, including local libations made from age old recipes. It’s also an opportunity for local non-profits to raise attention to their causes, such as turtle conservation, the fragile dunes of Todos,and presumably the prospect of a local gold mine that has many citizens concerned.

If you are thinking of visiting Todos Santos during the art festival, you should secure your accommodations early this is high season. It can sometimes be difficult to find availability. There’s still an opportunity to rent a luxuriously furnished villa at www.CalyCanto.com.

TODOS SANTOS ART FESTIVAL DAY-BY-DAY

The festival will feature two permanent exhibitions throughout the week, the Fourth Biennial art exhibition by denizen paintings by Carlos Olachea Painting and a photo exhibit of Giants of the Bay of La Paz, the whale shark, both at the Cultural Center of Professor Néstor Martínez Agúndez from 10am to 6pm each day.

Each day there will also be an exhibition and sale of local craftsmanship near the Hotel California, in front of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar Church.

Our favorite, the Grupo Tortuguero de Todos Santos will present an exhibition on the protection and conservation of sea turtles, on Saturday January 30, at 10am in the public square in front of the Church. The program will continue with a book fair in front of the theatre Manuel Marquez Leon, which will remain open until 6 pm. Both activities will continue until Sunday 31.

At 1pm on Saturday , January 30, watch Ballet Folklorico by the Municipal Department of Culture of La Paz. The dancers will perform a show in the public square.

The official opening of the Festival will be held at 8pm, with the presence of various authorities and the organizing committee until they hand off the festivities to the live band Cantares del Valle from Colombia.

On Sunday, January 31 in the public square, from 12:30 pm, the University of Baja California Sur will present a musical program along side their Polynesian Dance Group, followed by Bios chamber music, ending at 8pm, with the group of Latin American music, Sac-Be.

The festival will continue on Monda, february 1, at 10 am, with the presentation of the documentary film and, at noon, the Folkloric Ballet will perform several pieces in the public square, along with a music and dance performed by differentlocals, ending at 8pm with the participation of the theater group at the Cultural Center.

On Tuesday February 2, at 9 am, there will be a children’s performance, by the kindergarten of Todos Santos and Pescadero, at the Los Pinos Park amphitheater. This continues with the screening of the film Transamerica en la Sala at 10 am. At night, the academy willinterpret a Polynesian dance performance in the public square.

On Wednesday, February 3, at 9:30 pm, the theater group will perform the work “The Call of the Sierra” in the Cultural Center. The international film series will continue at 10 am, with “The Zookeeper.” At 5 pm, the Association of Writers in Baja California Sur will meet in the Cultural Center. The day ends with a classical guitar recital performed by the soloists Mario Charles, William and Jesús Avilés Gallo, in front of the church.

On February 2 and 3, a workshop will be offered to promote reading at the secondary level, at the Cultural Center from 4-5pm, which will be taught by Edna Aponte. At the same time and place is a painting workshop for children in fifth and sixth grade by Ramón Castillo Domínguez.

From February 2 to 5th workshops on pre-Hispanic traditions will be offered under the instruction of Veronica Carlos Martinez, in which students in the group Meliton Albáñez School will be trained in the development of musical instruments and costumes as well as the implementation of pre-Hispanic dances.

On Thursday, February 4th, there’s a screening of the British film Wonder Boys, at 10 am, leading to an 11:30 conversation with writer Ali Victor Torres. The theater group will perform an award winning play at 8pm at the Cultural Center.

The International Film cycle continues on Friday, February 5, at 10 am, with screenings of the film “Illuminated Spanish” . At 6pm, the book “The Life and Work of Fernando Jordan Juarez” written by José Luis Aguayo, again, at the Cultural Center will be presented with a commentary by Leonardo Reyes Silva and Ruben Rivera. At 7pm, in the public square, a music and dance group, Ometeotl,will perform a dance that is a pre-hispanic ritual with the participation rate of children in the community, concluding at 8pm with a Limanya percussion performance with the show by a group African music and dance combined with circus disciplines.

On Saturday, February 6, at 7pm, the Zodiac troupe will perform two works in the public square, the Red Petticoat and Consultation. A half an hour later a sample taste of Todos Santos cuisine.

The official closing will take place at 8 pm in the Public Square, featuring dance and the folk music of the Colombian group Solomon Valley, highlighting the group’s involvement of Sinaloa.